Duna-Tisza-közi

Hungary · PGI · Duna

Styles

Natural factors

The soils of the area consist predominantly of calcareous sandy soils, formed from alluvial deposits accumulated over millennia by the eastward-to-westward movement of the Danube.
Sandy soils warm up rapidly, which promotes grape ripening, yet they have low nutrient-retention, water-retention, and mineral content.
The relief is characteristically flat; elevation remains below 150 m above sea level across most of the area, with differences in altitude not exceeding 10–15 metres.
Because of the natural immunity of sandy soils to phylloxera, the phylloxera crisis left viticulture in the Duna-Tisza közi region untouched.

Human factors

The proportion of indigenous and newly bred Hungarian grape varieties in the vineyards is the highest in Hungary, exceeding 60%, and includes varieties such as Bianca, Kövidinka, and Cserszegi Fűszeres.

Product characteristics

White and rosé wines display an intense aromatic profile and are rich in flavour, while Siller and red wines are generally fruit-forward, lighter in body, and less deeply coloured.
The wines are generally light-bodied, with a softer character owing to their relatively modest acidity, and their mineral content tends to be low, as is typical of sandy soils.

Terroir / wine link

The rapid warming of sandy soil promotes grape ripening, yet because of its low mineral content the wines likewise remain low in minerals.
The ecological characteristics of sandy soil have led to the spread of several well-adapted varieties, including the wide establishment of Bianca, Kövidinka, and Cserszegi Fűszeres.
By virtue of the site's natural conditions, the wines are best suited primarily to shorter ageing and earlier drinking.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.